How Thinking Ahead Changes Things
As your toddler approaches age two, you will probably notice quite
a change in his thinking. This is the age when most children
develop the ability to think ahead.
Take this mini-case study as an example: One day two-year-old Lucy
approached a door while carrying a flower in each hand. She
stopped, apparently realizing that she couldn't open the door with
both hands full. Putting the flowers on the floor, she reached for
the doorknob. Then she stopped again, aware that the door would
crush the flowers as it opened. Finally, after moving the flowers
to a safe place, she opened the door. This was a simple act, but it
required quite a bit of thinking. Lucy had to imagine what would
happen as a consequence of her actions. Lucy was thinking
ahead.
1. Younger Toddlers: Experiment and Learn
- Lucy's kind of forethought isn't possible for younger toddlers,
who still learn mainly through trial-and-error. Younger toddlers
spend a large part of their day simply experimenting-handling
physical objects to find out what will happen if the applesauce is
squished, the block dropped or the round puzzle piece is hammered
into the square hole.
2. Older Toddlers: Experiment Less, Imagine More
- As the ability to remember develops, older toddlers will begin
to experiment less and imagine more. They start figuring out "what
would happen if..." without having to try out the idea first. This
ability to think ahead saves toddlers an enormous amount of time.
Extra time to try new things! You'll be surprised how quickly your
young toddler will begin to seem more and more like a child, rather
than a baby.